Bill Cosby Performs First Stand-Up Set Since Sex Abuse Scandal

Bill Cosby’s status as a legendary comedian took a huge hit after becoming embroiled in a criminal sexual assault case, but returned to his stand-up roots this week with an appearance at a Philadelphia jazz club.

The former sit-com star took the stage at the LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood to a mostly African-American crowd of about 50 people, according to NPR.

For nearly an hour, Cosby told jokes and stories about his past. At one point, a child in the audience came onstage for an exchange with Cosby, who asked the 11-year-old boy if he knew who he was.

“You used to be a comedian?” the boy responded.

“I used to be a comedian?” Cosby said with mock exasperation, according to Philly.com. “You can sit down now.”

One thing the actor didn’t address was his recent mistrial for sexual assault. After a ten day trial and six days of deliberation, the seven men and five women of the jury were unable to come to a unanimous decision. During this trail, the comedian was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault stemming from a 2004 incident involving former Temple University basketball staffer Andrea Constand.

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